Hermione lay atop the bed, her knees bought up to her chest, her hands at her ankles, her eyes lost and confused. She’d just woken up here in the hospital wing. She had no idea how she’d got here. Last thing she remembered was storming away from Malfoy in Hogsmead.

The hospital wing looked just as she remembered, white walls, white floor, everything kept in a perfect condition, light streaming in from the windows every which way. The place was spotless in an unnerving way, Hermione was the only occupant. The other bed lay empty waiting for patients that would never come.

Time was moving differently and she wondered if she were under as spell. The more she remained in the castle the less things made sense, she was unsure if she were even in the real castle. The longer she was here the more she gravitated towards Malfoy.

Speaking of Malfoy, he just walked in looking pale and gaunt. Whatever was troubling him was written all over his usually emotionless face. He gravitated towards her without even realizing, his face void of the usual disgust.

Realizing who he was nearing he got ready to unleash a torrid of insults, as he could never miss an opportunity to torment Hermione.

However, he never got a chance as a mysterious woman appeared before the two like an ethereal Goddess. Though Draco didn’t recognize the woman Hermione did and it terrified her. That logical part of Hermione’s brain that had kept silent for so long was finally working again, and in working it had already come to some difficult conclusions – some that were harder to explain than others.

The woman sat down before the two and explained some terrifying truths. Everything that had seemed unreal and confusing suddenly made sense. All the blackouts and missed memories were now explained, as was the reason Hermione couldn’t find Harry or Ron.

Hermione and Draco sat in shock, they made no effort to move, nor did the ethereal Goddess. She remained still gazing between the two and showing a million emotions in her eyes. How difficult it was to give this news knowing that there was nothing to change it. It was in essence the hardest job to have – she did it well but it did not make the burden any less painful to bear.

Hermione and Draco starred at each other. They saw no difference, they expected to look different. The truth can change people but as they looked at each other they still saw the same hate, the same fears. It had changed nothing but given them a connection.

The strange acceptance between the two now made sense, like a common connection that couldn’t be broken.

Their mutual hate had bought them together, in a place that had no logical meaning.

The truth had been revealed, as they say the curtain had been dropped as the final act had been played, yet with all this clarity things still remained unclear.

They were to be stuck now, until the final gauntlet was thrown down. As many already knew it could be forever until that happened, the two enemies would have to find a way to cope with the presence of each other for there was no escape from this truth however much they wished there could be.

Anyone guessed who the ethereal Goddess was? (It’s not at all obvious) ~ Zyii